“This World is Ours” is the new album from North-East heroes, Juliet’s Not Dead, the first since they launched with their new name; and whether it’s having taken a step back, having refocussed and re-evaluated who and what they want to be going forward, the results are clear to see on this release. For, in short, “This World is Ours” is a veritable treasure trove of elegantly written, perfectly executed modern rock gems. If success is forged through adversity, then the turbulence of the last few years, has certainly produced an album chock-full of diamonds.
The ten tracks on offer here run the gamut from kick-ass hard-edged rockers and emotion-soaked balladry to wide-screen epics. If you were familiar with the band’s previous incarnation, with this new collection of songs they have taken that template and dialled everything up to eleven. The up-tempo numbers hit harder than ever, the slower numbers crank up the emotional impact to devastating effect, the outcome being one of a constantly changing tapestry of captivating sounds and shifting moods.
Opening with the one-two punch of Sinner and Saint and Thrillseekers, straight out of the gate, it’s all big guitars, and bigger choruses that surely demand to be sung back by future sell-out crowds. Straight away you realise there’s a sophistication at play here, in the arrangements, the lyrics, the playing, everything has taken a quantum leap forwards. The lush crystal-clear production by Romesh Dodangoda enhances the song-writing, showing off the beautiful playing on display across the whole of the album. It’s a fantastic meeting of minds, artist and producer in total harmony to create something bigger and bolder than anyone could have possibly expected.
Open Fire by contrast has a different feel to it, a hypnotic riff, tasteful and economic drums delivering an interesting pattern throughout the verses, building to another chorus laden with enough melodic hooks to snag even the most casual of listeners.
The contrast to all these hi-octane crowd-pleasers is the brace of three more introspective numbers, Battle Scarred, Passing Ships and album closer, Capsize. All three deal with the whims and travails of love, loss and the struggles of the modern world, in ways which are refreshing in their honesty, openness and vulnerability. There are a million and one love songs out there but to try and do something different within that form is not easy, but Juliet’s Not Dead, pull it off here to spell-binding effect. I’ve already mentioned lyrics, but they really need to be mentioned again. Intelligent, erudite and deeply human, they are constantly gorgeous in their phrasing, imagery and ability to capture a moment or a feeling. They are the icing on an already rich and fabulously multi-layered cake. These, and all the songs on the album demonstrate the exemplary way they have been crafted; great song structure runs through the core and having seen them performed both fully electric and acoustically, that song-writing expertise shines out.
In a crowded market Juliet’s Not Dead have delivered an album that stands loud and proud, shoulder to shoulder with the very best of their peers. It’s a gauntlet thrown, an emphatic statement of intent. Think you know us? Think again. This is who we are now, this is what we can do and this time we’re not taking any prisoners. Come with us or get left behind…
